The New Audi RS5 Coupe

The old model’s naturally aspirated 4.2-litre V8 was great to drive and listen to, and it will be fondly missed. However, at 444bhp its 2.9-litre twin-turbo V6 replacement – which was co-developed with Porsche – develops just as much power despite having lost several cylinders and significant capacity. It’s also hugely torquey, at an impressive 442lb ft, which helps give much smoother, more linear progression through the revs than the V8.

The car’s V6 bi-turbo has been developed from the ground up. The bi-turbo’s power flows through a sportily-tuned, eight-speed tiptronic transmission with optimized shift times and on to the quattro permanent all-wheel drive which features a self-locking central differential.